Central SA
Former Mangaung deputy mayor joins Magashule’s party─── KEKELETSO MOSEBETSI 15:08 Mon, 20 May 2024
“Nkwane was one of eight councillors dismissed by the ANC regional structure in Mangaung.”
A former deputy mayor of Mangaung Metro has jumped ship to join former ANC Secretary-General Ace Magashule’s ACT party.
Mapaseka Nkoane Mothibi confirmed to OFM News she has found a new home in Magashule’s party. Nkoane was one of eight councillors dismissed by the ANC regional structure in Mangaung.
The ANC alleged they defied the party mandate and voted with the opposition to vote for the DA’s Maryke Davies as the new speaker of the council. The group was also accused of voting against ANC directives that a particular item should not be discussed in the council but rather be referred back to the ANC caucus for further discussion.
They defied this directive and went ahead to vote on it. Later, the councillors allegedly voted against two budgets by the former embattled Mayor Mxolisi Siyonzana.
The former ANC Women’s League Leader joined the new party, set to contest elections in the Free State and North West, among others.
While ACT could not upload all their Parliamentary candidates, they will still appear on the ballot. They managed to get the name of Magashule and 10 other candidates onto the IEC’s system for the National Assembly.
The final lists published by the commission indicated that they have 6 candidates from the Eastern Cape, 14 from the Free State, a single candidate from Gauteng, eight from the Northern Cape, and 10 candidates from the North West.
Legally embattled Magashule formed the party. He faces several charges related to the controversial R255 million asbestos case.
Voters will go to the polls on 29 May to elect all National Assembly and Provincial Legislature members, while special elections will run from 27 to 28 May. In total, 34 political parties, including Rise Mzansi, ACT and uMkhonto weSizwe Party, will participate. In the 2019 provincial elections, the ANC won 22 seats in the Free State, the EFF 4, the DA 3 and the FF Plus 1.
More than 1.5 million people have registered to vote in the Free State. The majority are women: More than 800,000, compared with just over 600,000 men. Mangaung’s more than 420,000 registered voters are the most in the province, followed by Matjhabeng’s almost 200,000, some 20,000 more than third-place Maluti-a-Phofung at Qwaqwa.
